Thursday

SINGAPORE, Jan. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Pratt & Whitney Singapore Manufacturing broke ground on a new facility at the Seletar Aerospace Park. This new production facility will manufacture fan blades and high pressure turbine disks for Pratt &

SINGAPORE, Jan. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Pratt & Whitney Singapore Manufacturing broke ground on a new facility at the Seletar Aerospace Park. This new production facility will manufacture fan blades and high pressure turbine disks for Pratt & Whitney's PurePower(R) Geared Turbofan(TM) engines. This new 180,000 square foot (16,000 square meter) facility will border Pratt & Whitney's existing flagship facility at Seletar - Pratt & Whitney Singapore Component Repair - further expanding the company's 30-year presence in the country. Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. , has invested nearly $110 million in the development of these two new facilities.

Now with a total of nine businesses in Singapore, Pratt & Whitney Singapore Manufacturing will help Pratt & Whitney achieve production capacity required to meet customer demand for commercial engines. With the construction of this new facility, Pratt & Whitney's work force in Singapore is expected to increase to more than 2,500 people over the next five years - making it home to the company's most comprehensive aftermarket presence in one location.

"Pratt & Whitney is pleased to break ground on this new facility and further expand our already large presence in Singapore, which is well-known throughout the aerospace industry for its highly-trained and technically-skilled workforce," said Pratt & Whitney President David Hess. "This expansion is a strategic investment for our company, and we are confident the Asia Pacific market is well-positioned for economic growth in 2013 and beyond."

"We are delighted that Pratt & Whitney has chosen Singapore to be its key partner for advanced manufacturing," said Leo Yip, Singapore Economic Development Board Chairman. "This is a significant milestone that deepens the partnership between Pratt & Whitney and Singapore. As leading aerospace companies such as Pratt & Whitney seek to serve their expanding customer base in Asia Pacific, we will continue to enhance Singapore' s capabilities as the strategic position for them to grow their presence in this part of the world."

The new Pratt & Whitney Singapore Manufacturing facility is projected to be complete by 2014, and it will begin producing commercial engine fan blades in 2015 and high pressure turbine disks by 2016. Pratt & Whitney is also in the final stages of completing its existing 160,000 square foot (15,000 square meter) Singapore Component Repair facility in the Seletar Aerospace Park, which is readying for occupancy in the first quarter with initial production to begin by the end of 2013.

In February 2012, Pratt & Whitney announced the commencement of the Singapore Component Repair unit that will add to its comprehensive repair capability already on island. The facility will perform PW4000-engine part repair and house various office support departments including Global Services Engineering-Asia.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning anticipated business opportunities that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including with regard to the programs described in this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include the impact of deterioration or extended weakness in global economic conditions on demand for our products and services, the financial strength of customers and suppliers and on levels of air travel; and challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies and new products and services. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties, see UTC's 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed with the SEC.